Reversible placard holder for tank cars



Dec. 7,1926. 1,609,823

s. L. JOJNER REVERSIBLE PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS Filed March 50, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INFFHWRBWL KEEP LIGHTS HND FIRES RWAY HANDLE CAREFULLY STHTION 19Z REQUIRING 5 PLRCIR II CRISTHI lillD MUST BE OVED wuss TANK cnk lsmnz Dec. 7 1926.

S. L. JOINER REVERSIBLE PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS Filed March so, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RETURN-HUSH.

EMPTY TANK CRR INFLHMABLE VAPOR KEEP LIGHTS HND FIRES HWHY WHEN LORDED nzveasa THIS CRRD gwvewf o1 Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES SYLVESTER L. JOINER, OF MCGREGOR, TEXAS.

REVERSIBLE PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS.

Application filed March 30, 1926. Serial No. 38,536.

The invention relates to a reversible placard holder for tank cars.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of reversible placard holders for tank cars and to provide a simple, inexpensive and practical reversible placard holder of strong and durable construction adapted to be readily applied to a tank car and capable of being reversed to present to view either one of two placards without removing any portionof the device and without climbing upon the running board upon which placard holders are usually mounted.

Commonly such placards consist of printed sheets secured to uprights mounted on the running board or other portion of the car frame or running gear and located at the ends of the car at both sides thereof, one of the placards being used for notifying railroad employes and others of the inflammable and dangerous nature of the contents of the tank when the same is full and the other placard indicating that the tank car is empty but contains. inflammable vapor and that lightsand fire should be kept away fromthe same.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and. arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in th'e accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details ofconstruction, within the scope of the claim, may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages, of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is, an elevation partly in section of a reversible placard holder constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the placard and frame the placard being reversed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the running board and illustrating the manner of mounting the frame thereon.

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the frame and the placard bracket.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the latch.

Fig, 6 is a central horizontal sectional view of the reversible placard holder.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention 1 designates a reversible placard designed for use on tank cars and constructed of suitable material preferably of metal to render it practically indestructible and having the lettering illustrated in the drawing and containing the desired placard information applied to it inarly suitable manner. Placards are required to be placed on. tank cars containing inflammable liquids notifying railroad employees and others of the inflammable and dangerous nature of the contents of the tank or the interior of the tank after the contents have been removed and until all of the inflammable vapors have beendisplaced andit is the usual practice to use one kind of placard when the car is. full and another kind of placard afterthe contents. of the tank car have been removed. The indestructible reversible placard 1 will be provided on one of its faces'with the matter contained on one of the placards and'on its other face with thematter of the other placard.

The placard 1 which is rectangular is arranged with its diagonals disposed vertically and horizontally as shown and it is pivotally mount-ed at the ends of its horizontal diagonal within a rectangular frame 2 correspondingly arranged and. framing and protecting the side edges of the pivotally mounted reversible placard. The rectangular frame is provided at one side with an integral horizontal pivot or journal?) and at the opposite side with a separately constructed horizontal pivot or journal 4 having a reduced outer attaching portion 5 which iss-ecured by rivets 6 or other suitable fastening devices in a laterally opening recess 6' in the frame 2 after the placard has been assembled therein. This journal 4 constructed and positioned as just stated is wholly confined within the frame. The placard is provided at diagonally opposite points at the ends of its horizontal diagonal with bearing sockets 7 for the reception of the horizontal pivots 3 and 4. In assembling the parts one of the bearing sockets 7 is placed over the integral permanent pivot 3 and the placard is moved into proper position within the frame 2 and then the other pivot 4: is introduced into the corresponding bearing socket of the placard and is rivetec to the frame 2. This will enable the reversible placard to rotate on a horizontal axis for presenting either of its faces to the front. The face exposed at the front of the device will always have the lettering in an upright position while the lettering is at the rear face of the placard and is inverted so that upon reversal of the placard, the lettering at the back of the placard will be brought into proper upright position when carried to the front through the reversal of the placard.

The frame it is provided with an integral approximately L-shaped bracket 8 consisting of a vertically supporting portion consisting of a vertical supporting portion and a horizontal attaching portion 9 extending across the lower face of the running board 10 and bolted or otherwise secured to the same. The attaching portion 9 is preferably of a length to extend entirely across the running board of a tank car and the frame is rigidly supported in an upright position. The frame and the bracket may consist of a malleable iron casting or may be constructed of any other suitable material as will be readily understood.

The reversible Divotallv mounted placard is held against rotary i'novement by a latch mechanism located at one side of the frame adjacent to the lower corner thereof and comprising a spring actuated bolt 11 mounted in a casing or housing 12 and adapted to engage with either one of a pair of keeper sockets 13 of the placard 1. The casing 12 consists of a body portion of rectangular form cast integral with the frame 2 and having a removable face plate l l suitably secured to the body portion of the easing. The spring actuated bolt is provided adjacent to its inn-er engaging end with a substantially oblong enlargement 15 presenting flat side edges to the walls of the casing and adapted to prevent rotary movement of the bolt which is preferably circular in cross section and reduced at the outer side of the enlargement 15 to receive a coiled spring 16 which is disposed on the reduced portion of the bolt and interposed between the enlargement 15 and the outer end wall of the latch casing. The outer portion of the bolt extends through and is guided in an opening in the casing and the inner engaging end operates through a recess in the inner end wall. The bolt is actuated by an upright lever 17 pivoted at 18 Within the casing and provided atits inner end with a short arm 19 which bears against the en largement 15. The operating lever extends through a slot 20 in the outer end wall of the casing which is provided at the outer end of the slot with a fixed projecting grip 21 adapted to be grasped simultaneously with the outer portion of the operating lever to enable the latter to be readily oscillated to withdraw the spring actuated bolt of the latch mechanism from the keeper socket of the reversible placard. This will enable the placard to be rotated and when the placard is placed in the desired position, the oper ating lever is released and the spring will carry the bolt into engagement with the adjacent coactino; keeper socket. The latch mechanism will securely hold the placard in proper position and effectually prevent any rotary movement of the same. The latch. mechanism is located at the lower portion of the placard within easy reach and the placard may be readily reversed without the necessity of a railroad employee or other person climbing upon the running board to accomplish this result.

lVhat is claimed is:

A reversible placard holder for tank ears comprising a frame provided with an attaching bracket, a reversible placard within the frame having opposite placard faces and provided with oppositely disposed bearing sockets an integral pivot on said frame re ceived by one of the bearing sockets on the placard, the frame having a laterally opening recess horizontally opposite the aforesaid bearing, and a separate pivot in the other bearing socket of the placard having a reduced outer end permanently secured to said laterally opening recess of the frame and thereby wholly confined within the frame and whereby the placard may be rotated on said pivots, and means for locking the placard in either of its reversed positions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i I

SYLVESTER- L. JO'INER. 

